Article Nº 2991 Mollusc Vol. III · p. 232
Pota (Ommastrephes sagittatus)
The pota (Ommastrephes sagittatus) is a cephalopod mollusc of deep waters that surfaces in summer off Madeira. It is valued as bait for tuna and black scabbardfish fishing.
A cephalopod mollusc that lives in depths beyond 350 braças (fathoms), but which in summer often appears at the surface of the ocean, especially in August and September. Some specimens weigh more than 10 kilograms. The flavour of this mollusc, when young, recalls that of the squid and the octopus. The pota is a valuable and much sought-after bait for fishing tuna, black scabbardfish (espada) and other species.